Corn-htrskek



Y l 4v Sheets-Sheet 1. C. J. PETERSEN.

Corn Husker. l No. 21,363. `Peltend Aug. 31, 1858.

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" 4 Sheets-Sheet 4., C. 1. C. PETERSEN.

Corn Husker.

No. 21,363 Patented Aug. 31, 1858. Y

i iiNiTED sTATEs PATENT orme.

C. C. PETERSEN, OF DAVENPORT, IOIVA.

CORN-HUSKER.

, Speccation of Letters Patent No.

To all whom t may conce/m:

Be it known that I, CHARLES JOHN CHRIS- TL-xN PETERSEN, of Davenport,county of Scott, and State of Iowa, have invented a new and usefulMachine for Husking Corn, hereby known as the Self-Feeding Corn-I-Iusker; and I declare thatthe foilowing is a full, clear, and eXactdescription of the construction and operation of the same, referencebeing had to the annexed drawings, forming part. of` this specification,in which- Figure l is a perspective view; Fig. 2, a longitudinalelevation; Figs. 3 and 5, horizontal sections; Fig. 4;, a top view ofthe feeder. i

The nature of my invention consists in such improvements in corn huskersas are set forth in the claims herewith connected.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, Ihereby describe its construction and operation. To this end the machineis considered as resolved into the ensuing principal parts,- viz: I, thepower; II, the feeder; III, the farmer; IV, the butter; V, the husker;VI, the receiver.

(I) li/otite 790wer.-This consists of the Iiywheel, B, Fig. l, hung onthe horizontal shaft, Z, Figs. 2 and 5, on which rests a bevel gearwheel G, Figs. l, 2, and 5, and a spur wheel, I, Figs. 1 and 2. Thesepowers turn the vertical shaft, It, Figs. 1, 2, and 5, to whose top arefastened the bevel and spur-wheels I-I and H', Figs. l, 2 and 3. On thelower part of the shaft, R, belong a pulley and the belt, S, Figs. l and2, (which may be substituted by the bevelgearings,) which revolve thefanner and its component parts. The spur-wheel, H', turns the verticalshaft and pinion E, Figs. land 2, with its pulley and belt, C, Figs. land 2. This belt runs to the fan shaft L, Fig. 3. On the top of theshaft, E, is fit-ted a small crank, with which the rod D, Figs. l and 2,is connected for the purpose of shaking or vibrating the feeder A, Figs.l and 2. The two conic rollers, F and F Figs. l and 5, communicating bythe belt, U', and turned by the spur wheel, I, regulate the splitting of`the husks, by a cord passing over a curved pulley, T, Figs. 1 and 2,and thence to the tightening pulleys X, X, Figs. l and 2, whichoscillate by the action of the lever whose fulcrum is at, 7c, and areregulated by the slot, Z. The cord' aforesaid bears up from X to C, anddivides itself 21,363, dated August 31, 1858.

there for the purpose of moving the rollers Z), Z), etc., Figs. l and 2.

(II) The feeder-This consists of a cylinder A, Figs. l and 4L united atits upper edge with another, having the shape of a funnel, but truncatedat less than Vhalf the height of the cones of which it. may be conceivedto be a part. In the center of the feeder rises the cone, a., Fig. 4.From this cone, striking olf radially to the exterior of the feeder orcylinder, A, lie twelve equal apartments. are disposed theear-conductor, the separator and the discharging tube. The conductors,7", r, &c., Fig. 4, are severally attached upon the lower edges andtheir interior ends to the base of the cone, a', by means of a suitablehinge, b. semicylindrical conduits or troughs, in which, respectively,the ears of corn' lodge These conductors consist of In each of theseapartments a transita to the discharging tubes, C, O, O,

which belong to each conductor, each conductor is susceptible of a riseand fall at the end nearest the cylinder, A, the Object of which motionis to receive the ear and then cause it to slide from the trough intothe tube, O. Alongside and parallel with the conductor is the leverplate, S, which at one end enters an eye formed to receive it on theside and outer extremity of the conductor. It plays upon a pivot fulcrumat the proper point. It may assume any form which can perform itsfunctions, but that which I have adopted is semi-spatulate. This or someequivalent form, at the end next the cone, a', is indispensable, inorder to secure a perfect exclusion of all ears cut one from the eartrough. In motion the spatulate end of the lever rises and fallsalternately with the exterior end of the conductor, thus securing thecertain introduction of one ear only -at a time. In action, also, thespatulate arm rises to the funnel cylinder, an elevation more than equalto the diameter of an ear, above the level of the conductor. This leverplate, S, may, therefore, be appropriately denominated the separator andis so styled. `The spring, which is not shown in the drawing, but whichassists to raise the conductor to its normal position upon the dischargeof an ear, is not necessary in a working machine. The separator can bereadily so balanced upon its pivot fulcrum as to raise the conductorafter depression with certainty and efficiency.

At the outer mouth of each of the conductors is a discharging tube O,Fig. l. Into this, from the conductor, drops or slides the ear, which,in it, takes a nearly perpendicular position. VThe lower oriice of eachof the twelve tubes O, O, &c., opens upon a circular plate, whosediameter is greater than that of the feeder, A. Through this plate,directly in the vertical descent of the ear, is an oblong hole ampleenough to admit the passage of any ear. This plate partakes of theslight reciprocating motion of the feeder, of which it might be regardedas a part, and holds in its center the top of the revolving fan-shaft,L. Below this plate and at the distance of half the average length of'anear is a circular' flatring, S, which rests upon the blower or fanner bymeans of posts and partakes of it motion. In it is only one oblong hole,approached by a deep groove. In the descent of an ear throughits hole inthe plate above, Yits end, by the revolution of the ring, S, enters thisgroove and, upon reaching the oblong hole drops into a guide tube andthence vertically into positionr upon the base of the fanner and betweenthe plate arms, z, and fw, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, to be butted and stripped.This second guide tube, together with the apparatus which imparts to ita regular but intermittent motion upon its discharge of an ear into thebut-ter, is not fully represented, but is so constructed and operated asto receive and discharge with certainty an ear, if descending, everytime the oblong hole in the ring, S, passes under one of the twelveholes in the plate above, thus securing and discharging twelve ears ineach circuit or revolution.

. The fnner.-Tliis is situated centrally below the feeder and within thehuskcr proper. Its object is to blow the husks from the husking machinewhich surrounds it. Its frame is closed above and below by circularplates, as represented in Figs. 3 and 5. The upper one is designedsimply to cover the fan, and stripping staves, z', z'. The lower one hasa larger diameter and also an eccentric, m, m, to be more particularlydescribed under the head of The butter. The fan itself is located in theinterior of its apartment and consists of the upright shaft, L, Figs. land 3, with four arms, X, X, X, X, to the ends of which are attachedfour spheroidal wings. Between the upper and lower circular plates is aseries of perpendicular staves (called strippers) z', z', which standnearly inthe line of the circumference of the upper plate of the fanningapparatus, and consist of a rectangular plate on the exterior edge ofwhich and at assigned distances are teeth, whose angle points in theline of a radius of a circle parallel with the plates circular of thefanner and which in the operation of the machine lstrip the husks fromthe ear.

The buiten-There are two batters: one

designed to cut the butt of the ear when theY butt descends foremost,which butter is operated upon the lower plate of the fanner; the otherdesigned to cut the butt of the ear, when the top descends foremost,which butter is operated below the upper plate of the fanner and in aline perpendicular with the lower plate of the same.

The lower buiten-In the eccentric projection, m, m, of the lower plateof t-he fanner are two oblong or extended holes m, m, connected by theslot, n. The sides of these holes and of this slot converge somewhat, sothat the upper mouth is wider than the lower. Into the slot n settlesthe end ofthe ear, when embraced by the plate arms a and w, Figs. l, 2,3, 5, and put in position for butting. Along the slot, An, the butt ofthe ear (when the ear descends butt foremost) is driven to the left tillit reaches the left hand hole, in which is fixed longitudinally therapier knife or divider mf, Figs. 3 and 5. The object'or use of this isto split the butt, to facilitate the action of the reaper, t, Fig. 5.Fig. 5, and the apparatus of which it is part is the' shaft, 1^, Fig. 5,the crank, g, which imparts motion to the shaft, and thence to thereaper, also; 0, o, connection rodsattached to a crank springing fromthe shaft of the pulley, u, and below it.

The upper buiten-The motive apparatus of this is fully represented inFig. 5, and is nearly the same as the lower. Hence to describe themotive powers of the lower butter I have referred to so much of theupper as necessary to obtain a clear conception. The difference betweenthem requires, therefore, delineation. In the upper butter the arms a,n, are united by hinges to the posts y, y. The use and necessity ofthese hinges will be apparent, when it is borne in mind that the cuttinggear of this butter must be and is so constructed as to rise and fallwith the length of the ear butted, in order that the rapier and thereaper may without failure divide and cut the butt when uppermost.

The cutting apparatus is seen in perspective in Fig. 2,wherein Mpresents the curved semicylindrical, hollow rider, of sufiicient lengthand elevation forward to pass over the top of the tallest ear and ofsuch height above the lower reaper as to allow its divider and reaper tobutt the shortest ear. The butt slot of this rider is not represented,but is the same in fact and function as that of the lower butter as seenin Fig. 5, n. The divider and rea-per are also the same and operated bythe pulley u, by means of the connecting rods 0, 0.

The reaper or cutter is t,

The husker.-This consists of two frame plates s, a, and y, y, Figs. land 2, between which are included twelve separate and equally dividedapartments, each having a stationary upright plate, e, (represented asstraight in Fig. 3 and as circular in Fig. 5, for the purpose of showingthe applicability of both forms,) an upright plate fw, Figs. l and 3,and a roller e, Figs. l and 5, which operate by the rod spring, f',Figs. l and 3, in oscillation; a friction roller, lv, Fig. 3, restingupon the foot-plate a of the plate, fw, upon which the roller, c, standsand through which a rod passes for the purpose of fastening said roller,o, the roller, e, and the foot plate, a, with the corresponding topplate. The upright plate or arm, e, is designed to keep the earstationary upon its discharge from the guide tube attachedto the plateS, S, Figs. l and 2, till it approaches the point of the reaper. Theroller, e, by virtue of its roughed face not only holds the ear of cornfirmly, but presses it against the strippers 2, z', Fig. l. Each of thetwelve apartments aforesaid has a small spur wheel a, Figs. l, 2, and 3,fixed onthe foot-plate a resting on the plate y, y, and turning by apinion passing through it and connected with the horizontal wheel Fig.l. The spur-wheels a, a, &c., regulate the motion of the roughedrollers, e, e, &c. The pressure of these rollers against the ear andthence the strippers i, z', is due to the springs f, f, Figs. 3, and l.The suspension of this pressure, which takes place during the pr0c essof butting, is, on the other hand, due to the action of the eccentric,m, m, Fig. 3. The passage of the eccentric by the twelve apartmentsturns the small roller o, o, whereby the springs, f, f, are compressedwith the vibrating arms w, w, as far back as the eccentric draws.Through each of the twelve apartments the husks escape from the machine,being driven forth by the fanner as soon as stripped from the ear.

The receiver consists of two circular boxes,

. 7L, with a spout, WV, Fig. 1, which is the eX- ternal box, and 71.',(not represented,) which is internal. In the space between the inner andthe outer box runs a clearer formed of an arm with a wing and turned bythe fanner shaft. The ofice of the receiver is twofold: first, toreceive the butted and husked ear from the husker through the hole, m,Figs. 3 and 5; secondly, to discharge the ears by the clearer into thespout, W, thence to the basket for removal to barn or crib.

Operation-The modus operandi, though apparently complicated, is simple.Fill the feeder with unhusked ears. Turn the iiywheel, B, Figs. l and 2,indicated by the arrow. Then the shaft, Z, imparts motion t-o thebevel-gear wheel, G, which `in turn moves the bevel and spur-wheels IIand H', on the shaft, R. In the meantime the spur- T wheel H', revolvesthe shaft and pulley, E, i by a pinion and gives the rod, D, itsvibrating motion. To the feeder this vibration is communicated, and byit the ears are shaken into posit-ion and twelve of them arrangethemselves in the ear conductors r, r, etc., Fig. 4. In the settlementof an ear into this position the outer end of the ear-conductor isdepressed and the spatulate arm of the lever plate, S, rises up, thuspreventing the ingress or descent of impending ears, till the conductoraforesaid is relieved of its charge. Upon the depression of a conductor,the ear partaking of the vibration of the feeder, is rapidly shaken orslipped forward and downward into the discharging tube, butt or topforemost, as the case may be. As the ear leaves the conductor and entersthe tube O, the spatulate arm of the lever plate S', falls and the outerend of the trough, r, rises to its normal position ready to receiveanother ear `of corn. In the discharging tube, O, the ear isperpendicular. From this tube the ear descends through the oblong holein the circular plate, before described, upon the ring plate S, whichconstitutes the cover to the fanner. Here one end of the ear (the lowerend) rests till, in the revolution of the ring plate, its oblong andonly hole reaches the ear and admits it through it to the guideconductor, which directs the ear into its place vertically in the huskerat m, Fig. 8. This guide trough being attached to the ring plate, S, andso suspended as to react twelve times in one circuit of the plate,causes twelve ears, or a full charge from the feeder, to be precipitatedinto place in the husker at each revolution of said. ring plate. As theear drops into the husker the butt (which for illustration I shallassume to be lowermost) enters the slot a of the eccentric me, m, Fig.3, while the body of the earI is embraced and held fast by the vibratingarm, w, which by the action of the eccentric upon the small rollers o,o, and consequently the spiral springs f, f, Fig. l, is drawn in towardthe upright plate, a. This embrace of the ear by said arm continues tillthe process of butting is completed, when the ear is assigned to theroughed roller and the strippers. Through or along the slot, n, the buttof the ear slides till it reaches the other cblong hole of theeccentric. As it enters this the divider, m, Fig. 3, splits the buttinto two parts and as it passes out the reaper blade in its vibrationsevers these. parts from therear, and thus completes the process ofbutting. Twelve ears are butted at each revolution of the ring plate, S.After the ear is butted the arm, w, is restored to its original positionand the roughed roller slowly revolves the ear against the arm, to,

and the stripper, and in a direction reverse to the line of motion. Bythis motion the ear has a turn more than can be regarded as necessary tohusk it, hence the precision and certainty of stripping the ear clean.Upon the return of the eccentric the husked ear drops through the oblonghole m, corresponding With the butting hole, and falls into thereceiver, to be discharged by the spout W, Fig. 1. Twelve ears arehusked and discharged at each circuit of the eccentric.

The action of the twelve apartments of the huskerdepends upon the motionof the two cone rollers F and F, operated by the spur-Wheels, I, and thebelt, U, Figs. l and 5. The curved pulley T, Figs. 1 and 2, on

' the lower roller carries an endless cord `it to. Whirl against thesmooth surface of the arm and against the teeth of the stripper. Thespring f, keeps the arm to the ear and the ear to the teeth and roughedroller. The roughness of the roller, e, insures uninterrupted motion tothe ear and overcomes the resistance offered by the teeth of thestripper. Thus the process of huskingis rendered eicient and complete,not a line of husk being left upon the ear. The husks are discharged inthe manner and by the Vmeans indicated on a preceding page,

through the apartments of the husker by the Wind from the fanner.

hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, are,

l. The feeder When constructed, arranged and operating substantially asdescribed for the purpose set forth.

2. The butter, When constructed, arranged and operating substantially asdescribed for the purpose set forth.

3. The husker when constructed, arranged and operating substantially asdescribed for the purpose set forth.

t. The fanner When constructed, arranged and operating substantially asdescribed for the purpose set forth.

5. The receiver, in combination With the fanner, husker, butter andfeeder, When these several parts are arranged to operate conjointly asand for the purpose specified.

CHARLES JOHN CHRISTIAN PETERSEN.

CHRISTIAN RAUB, THALES LrNnsLEY.

